Life + Faith

Author: Jon

  • King Jesus: Restoration From Chaos

    King Jesus: Restoration From Chaos

    The definition of chaos is a kids birthday party at Timezone. There are loud beats coming through speakers, hundreds of kids under 10-years-old running around, arcade games with constant flashing lights, and plenty of sugar. With these powers combined we have chaos. 

    In the Gospel of Mark we are told of an event in Jesus’s ministry where he brings restoration to a man in chaos. A dictionary definition of chaos is “complete disorder and confusion”, which is an accurate description of this demon-possessed man who comes upon Jesus in his travels (Mark 5:1-20). 

    A Chaotic Life 

    Jesus is confronted by this man and all indications are that he is not with it. He has been living among the tombs, which immediately tells us something about this man is unhinged. No one in their right mind takes up residence in the local cemetery, even those who are without a home. 

    Alongside this is the fact that this man has broken the chains and shackles that the local community have tried to bind him with. Those who have sought to care for him have thought it best to put him in a first-century straightjacket, but he is too strong. While he lives in these tombs, and seems to have superhuman strength, he is also running around the place with loud cries and shouts, and evidently self-harming. 

    It’s not hard to spot someone who is acting agitated, irrational, and behaving in an unbalanced way. We don’t have to go too far into our cities or suburbs to see this in our own community. From our Western eyes we might conclude that this man is going through a significant mental health episode with the elements of anxiety, depression, and psychosis. That doesn’t seem too far from the truth and it is a sad situation for this man. But his condition also requires divine intervention.

    When Jesus arrives on the scene this man sees him, runs to him, falls before him, and shouts the truth about Jesus being the Son of the Most High God. This man, and the spirits within him, know who Jesus is. He knows, not having seen him before, of his authority and power. 

    While we may not be possessed by a demon there may be something or someone or just stuff in life that has power over us. There might be values or attitudes or behaviours that draw us away from Jesus and lead us to behaviour that is ungodly or unbalanced. Those deeper things of power, praise, position, profits, or pleasure, or a combination of them, draw us away from Jesus and take hold of us. 

    From Jesus’ perspective he sees what’s going on and calls for the spirits to come out of this man (v8). I find it interesting that Jesus doesn’t pray, he doesn’t perform any rituals, he doesn’t use incense or other things we may associate with exorcisms that we’ve picked up from movies, books and culture. Instead, Jesus, in a straightforward manner, tells the spirits to come out of him. He’s clear and direct like a commander over their regiment. 

    This fits with the name of these spirits, who when Jesus asks for their name says, “Legion”. A legion is a team of soldiers in the Roman army, about 5000 soldiers strong. They were well-trained and organised for battle, just as these demonic spirits are many, well-trained, and ready for battle. 

    It is without a doubt that this passage gives us a window into the spiritual realm.

    This man is living a chaotic life and is possessed by demons that have taken over him. 

    We might think in extremes whereby we either explain everything scientifically and logically, or go the other way and see demonic and spiritual activity in every situation a person faces. What we do know, which Paul in Ephesians 6 reminds us of, is that we do live in a spiritual realm. This is a world where powers of darkness are real, even if they look different across cultures. 

    This event in the life of Jesus isn’t asking us to become experts in demonology though. It’s asking us to trust the one who has authority over it all.

    Whatever chaos we might find ourselves in, either in the present or in the future, Jesus has authority over it. Whatever the chaos might be in our soul, in our circumstances, in our relationships or work, Jesus has authority over it.

    This is the point. 

    Jesus has authority, and we can trust him in the chaos.

    A Restored Life

    The story of this man doesn’t end there though. The result of Jesus’ authority brings about restoration. 

    I’m not sure if it’s the same in your house, but when it’s been a little while since we’ve done some cleaning the whole house seems out of balance. With dirty dishes still on the bench, clothes on different surfaces, shoes on the floor, papers and toys everywhere, we feel out of kilter.

    O, but after a good clean up and the items returned to their proper place, then peace descends. Calm arrives. 

    When Jesus tidies up this man from his demons and restores him there is transformation. The impact of Jesus brings peace and calm. 

    This transformation has a dramatic effect on the man himself, as well as his community. While the man is found to be in his right state of mind, the community has the fear of God put in them. They realise the authority that Jesus has. 

    So, what do they do? 

    They ask him to leave. 

    They don’t want help with their own problems, what they’ve witnessed is just too much. It’s overwhelming. This is divine power they have not seen the likes of before. Their fear drives them to push Jesus away. 

    Don’t you find we have a similar reaction? When we’re afraid we can’t see what God is doing. When something seems to go wrong, or there are things that happen that aren’t our plans then we can react out of fear. Our minds spin, the anxiety rises, and we find ourselves distancing ourselves from the source of fear. 

    This is what is happening to the community. They don’t want anything to do with him, while the man on the receiving end of Jesus’ transforming work wants more time with him. He wants to follow him. 

    Instead, Jesus gives the man a task. He is to go home and tell people what the Lord has done. You see, God has shown great mercy to this man. He has had compassion and pity on him. He has restored him to a new life with a story to share to others. 

    When lives are impacted and restored by Jesus then there is a story to tell. A story to share with others. 

    Each of us who have been impacted by Jesus and restored to a new life in him, has a story to share. Our story might not be as dramatic as this man in Mark 5, but each of us has a unique story about God’s restoration of our soul and transformation to new life because of him. 

    Through the mercy we have received we are invited to share the stories of what God has done. Stories that can impact others and have people marveling at the God we follow through faith in Jesus.

    King Jesus: A Series in Mark’s Gospel
    Part 1: King Jesus: The Beginning of The Good News
    Part 2: King Jesus: The Messenger
    Part 3: King Jesus: The Love of God the Father
    Part 4: King Jesus: The Kingdom of God
    Part 5: King Jesus: The Calling of The Ordinary
    Part 6: King Jesus: Place and Purpose
    Part 7: King Jesus: The Authority Behind The Words
    Part 8: King Jesus: The Power of Jesus
    Part 9: King Jesus: The Leper
    Part 10: King Jesus: The Paralytic
    Part 11: King Jesus: Restoration From Chaos

  • From Milk to Meat

    From Milk to Meat

    Growth in faith is a slow and patient work that is more than likely seen in the rearview mirror. 

    As parents the growth of children into bigger children is also a slow, patient process that requires resources we didn’t realise we had before they arrived. And it’s obvious to anyone who has had a newborn that feeding them is one of the priority tasks of parents. Feeding babies their milk is a multiple times per day event that often becomes an all in effort for the child to settle, be filled, and sleep in due course. At every feed there is very little evidence of immediate growth. It’s happening before our eyes but it’s not like the child suddenly grows centimetres after each feed. It’s a slow and patient process. 

    This is the case with our walk with Jesus. 

    What we need when we start out in faith is consistent milk that we can suckle down to help us grow. Day to day it might look like not much is changing. Week to week it might look like not much is progressing. Soon enough, however, the consistent bottle of God’s Word and prayer gives growth and thickness to our walk with Jesus. 

    Milk for Beginners

    When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth he expressed how he’d been committed to feeding them appropriately. This of course is not physical food but the food and sustenance of the gospel and the scriptures. He writes in 1 Corinthians 3:2, 

    “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

    Paul recognised that the maturity of a believer comes in time, through appropriate teaching and experience. 

    Feeding a child can be all sorts of fun. Depending on our mood and the temperament of a child it can be a whole lot of pain too. The time of moving from milk to solids is among battles of teething, and the ability to chew and swallow solid food needs to be tested with puree or mashed foods. If it is taken then we know we’re on the way to solid food. If it isn’t, then it’s still time for milk before trying again. 

    Reading Maturity in Others

    This is what it’s like for us, and those around us in our churches. The state of maturity can be observed, although it is more of an art than a tick-the-box process. It involves having trusted people around us, those ahead of us in the faith, asking good questions, and an openness and vulnerability to the patient challenge of Christian maturity. 

    Before passing comment on where others are at we ought to examine ourselves and assess whether we are able to digest the solid food first. Often, Christian maturity can be disguised in all sorts of religiosity that might need to be peeled back like the layers of an onion before it’s seen. Sure, some things can seem obvious to those of us who have been walking with Jesus for a while, but in others it is more subtle. 

    To add to the difficulty of helping people mature in the faith is that adult new believers can expect themselves to be more mature than their junior counterparts. This might cause tension within this person, or in those who are discipling this new believer.

    Stuck on Milk

    The writer to the Hebrews uses this milk metaphor when writing his sermon as well. This time it’s focussed on those who have been walking in faith for some time but are stuck in immaturity. Hebrews 5:12 reads, 

    “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!”

    Those who have been walking with Jesus for some time should be more mature in faith than they actually are. The writer says some of these folk should be teachers but they need the foundational truths explained to them all over again. They have regressed to milk after tasting the solid food of the Word of God and gospel. 

    It’s a funny thought, isn’t it? To think about our own eating and going back to milk and mashed pumpkin having been able to chew through steak and boiled vegetables. Ironically, in today’s world, many make the choice to have the protein shake and avoid having the slow but nutritious solid food. 

    Is that the story we find ourselves in too? 

    Instead of eating the solid food provided for us in the scriptures we are trying to drink a quick protein shake of the Word to get us through to the next meal? 

    It’s an appropriate picture of what we do in our own walk with God. 

    Instead of being patient with the slow and digestive work of the Word and prayer we want the quick devotional and prayer that will take all of seven minutes. It might be suitable for a season, but it could be that we’re neglecting where we should be. We might actually need to go back to the gospel and hear the message of Christ. To be refreshed in the elementary truths again so we can keep growing our maturity and communion with God.

    As you think about the developmental milestones of your faith, where would you place yourself? Is it worth asking a trusted friend about what they see? 

    The point is not to be discouraging at how we may have stalled in our growth in God, but it’s an encouragement to draw us back to the meat that holds our faith and walk with Jesus together.

  • Writing Published Elsewhere (August)

    Thanks for following along here and interacting with some of what I write. In the last few months I’ve spent intentional focus on improving my writing, turning some sermons to written pieces, and dipping into some old drafts I’ve had sitting in a folder for a while.

    Recently I reworked a draft from years ago into, “Youth Pastor as Shepherd” for Youth Pastor Theologian. You can read that here if you’re interested.

    I keep a list of my articles and posts that are published elsewhere. This is on my “Writing” page, so if you’re curious about what else is out there then you can go and look at the list. It will continue to grow as I continue to be published elsewhere.

    Thanks for reading, wherever you find it.

  • King Jesus: The Paralytic

    King Jesus: The Paralytic

    The other day Jesus returned to my hometown. He’d been here before but had gone out to other villages to preach. He came back and was staying at one of his disciples’ homes.

    Everyone was talking about how he was back and might heal more people. We’d heard that he had recently healed a leper and was teaching and preaching again too.

    When I heard he was back I wondered whether he’d heal me. I began to wonder and have hope.

    You see, I couldn’t walk or move at all. I was paralysed. Every day my family and friends would roll me on my side, they would feed me, they would do so much for me. I could tell it was a strain on them. I know they cared for me, but I wanted to be able to do things on my own, to be part of everyday life like them.

    I needed as much help as I could get, and it was pretty hard for some because they thought I might pass my paralysis onto them, or at least make them less holy and unclean.

    Over the years, some of my neighbours have whispered to others in the village about how I must have done something wrong. That I must have sinned against God for this to happen to me. Or if it wasn’t me, it was my parents. I’m not sure that’s true.

    Anyway, four friends of mine picked me up when they heard Jesus was back as well. They picked up my mat, which was sort of like a stretcher, and carried me to where he was staying. But even from far away we could see that the house was packed, it was so crowded. I didn’t know there were this many people in the village! 

    It was so busy that there wasn’t room to get through the front door. There wasn’t an empty seat. There wasn’t even standing room. The crowd was out the front garden and down the driveway. There was no way we could push through, they wouldn’t let me pass anyway.

    So, my friends had this crazy idea. I couldn’t believe it at first. Wait till you hear about it, it really was a crazy idea.

    They looked up at the roof of the house. It was low and flat, with a few beams running across and then the muddy straw plaster that held it all together.

    They thought they might try to lower me through a hole in the roof instead! Can you believe it? 

    They got up on the roof, began taking away some of the roof and plaster, and made an opening.

    I was a bit embarrassed to be honest. Everyone saw what they were doing. Some of the roof caved in and began dropping on people inside the house. It did cause Jesus to stop teaching for a while as well. Plus, there were these really straight-laced religious guys there, they were leaders in the synagogue. I think they were there to check Jesus out too. Talk about embarrassing!

    Finally the opening was big enough to get my mat through and lower me down. I, of course, couldn’t do anything about it. My mates grabbed the mat and me and dropped me right in front of Jesus. It was amazing. I think one of my friends will post it on TikTok this afternoon.

    But Jesus realised we’d taken great steps to get me in front of him. He saw the faith of my friends, and my faith as well. I really believed he could heal me. He’d been healing so many others, I just knew he could.

    But guess what?

    The first thing he said to me was, “Son, your sins are forgiven”.

    What!?

    I was kind of shocked. It took a few moments for me to register what he’d said. That’s not what I came here for!

    I came to be healed and here was this Jesus telling me my sins were forgiven.

    I mean, that’s all well and good, but c’mon. He could’ve told me that before my friends made a hole in the roof!

    What was Jesus going on about? My sins are forgiven…

    Well, I didn’t really know what to say, but as I was looking up at Jesus I could tell in his face that he was frustrated or angry.

    He wasn’t angry at me. He was looking straight at those religious leaders. I think he knew what they were thinking.

    I bet they were thinking how could this man, this human being, equate himself with God by doing what only God could do – forgive sin! We know from scripture that it is only God who can forgive sin, and yet here was Jesus saying this to me!

    He was going to be in trouble.

    Jesus asked them a few questions. He certainly did know what they were thinking. He asked them what might be easier; to say your sins are forgiven or to say get up, take your mat, and walk?

    When Jesus said this, I had a sudden panic that perhaps he couldn’t do it. I know he’d healed heaps of people before, but maybe he couldn’t for me. Maybe I was too far gone. Maybe I was too sick. Maybe I was too sinful. Is that what Jesus was implying?

    Then Jesus said more. He said he wanted the religious leaders to know that the Son of Man (which I found out later is a nickname he gives himself) has the authority on earth to forgive sins! He then told me to get up, take up my mat, and go home.

    I had to take a moment to process it, but then I did what he told me.

    He had a compelling way about him, a special kind of authority.

    And so I did.

    I stood up!

    I then bent over to get my mat (It had been a while since I’d moved so I was a bit creaky in the bones).

    And then I walked out of there!

    Everyone just stood to the side as they watched me walk out the front door!

    It was utterly astounding. No one could believe it. Everyone was amazed and they all praised God for what Jesus had done.

    And I thought my greatest problem was my legs. If I could just stand, if I could just walk, if I could just carry my own belongings.

    When he looked at me and said, “Your sins are forgiven,” I was confused. But now I understand.

    If he had only healed my legs, I would still have carried something heavier with me – guilt, shame, distance from God.

    Jesus went deeper. Deeper than I expected.

    He gave me movement, but greater than that he gave me mercy.

    He gave me strength of the body, but greater than that he forgave me my sin.

    You may know exactly what you want Jesus to fix.

    It might be your health, your situation, your relationships, your lust or greed or anxiety, your grief or your loneliness or your disappointment.

    But what if your deepest need is not what you think it is?

    What if your deepest need is not simply to be healed, but to be forgiven?

    Jesus does not only have the authority to heal what is visible, but he has the authority to forgive that which is hidden.

    King Jesus: A Series in Mark’s Gospel
    Part 1: King Jesus: The Beginning of The Good News
    Part 2: King Jesus: The Messenger
    Part 3: King Jesus: The Love of God the Father
    Part 4: King Jesus: The Kingdom of God
    Part 5: King Jesus: The Calling of The Ordinary
    Part 6: King Jesus: Place and Purpose
    Part 7: King Jesus: The Authority Behind The Words
    Part 8: King Jesus: The Power of Jesus
    Part 9: King Jesus: The Leper
    Part 10: King Jesus: The Paralytic

  • King Jesus: The Leper

    King Jesus: The Leper

    I had a skin condition for many years.

    I was told it was leprosy. 

    All over my body, all over my skin, were sores and disease and discolouring. You could see it on my arms, on my face, on my body and my legs. My skin had bumps and big wart-like growths. My fingers were distorted, and some of my toes had disappeared. I had lost feeling in them long before that. 

    In speaking to others, no one remembers a time when I didn’t have this disease. I don’t even remember when I had clean skin. 

    Because of this disease I was an outsider. I’d been outcast from the community a long time ago. I was separated from everyone; my friends, my family, my neighbours. When people saw me they would walk by me. They didn’t deign to look at me, let alone interact. If anything they might insult me as one not worthy of life. All of this would remind me of my position in life. 

    People who knew me and my family would blame me for this condition. It was like I’d done something wrong, or something my parents had done wrong in those early years. 

    And so I would just shuffle from place to place. I would sit alone. I would eat alone. No one would reach out to me, no one would talk to me, no one would come close. 

    There was no cure for this condition. There was no ointment that could help my sores. There was no medicine to help the skin. I didn’t even have a place to go to wash and get clean. 

    When others would go to worship at the synagogue I was unable to go. I wasn’t allowed. I couldn’t worship God like others, and instead sat wondering whether there was a God. 

    I was forever unclean. 

    But then I heard of this man called Jesus. 

    Jesus came to the village. The word on the street was that he was one who could heal. He had healed others before and it made me wonder if this Jesus could heal me too.   

    I took courage. He found out where he was and approached Jesus. I knelt before him and asked, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” I said this with real belief, real openness, and honesty.

    Jesus looked down upon me and had compassion for me. Everyone could tell, you saw it in his eyes. Others around thought Jesus was indignant and annoyed for being interrupted, but that wasn’t the case. Jesus had real pity on me. 

    And suddenly, for the first time in who knows how long, I felt the touch of another human being. Jesus reached out, not concerned about his own uncleanliness, and took a risk and said he was willing to make me clean. 

    You wouldn’t believe it, but this is what happened. Right away I was clean and healed and the disease was gone. I couldn’t believe it. No one could believe it. My skin changed, the growths were gone, I didn’t scratch or itch. Even my fingers and toes were all back and in working order. 

    I was so happy. I was smiling and laughing and full of joy. 

    Jesus not only cleaned me on the outside, radically changing my life, but he also made me clean with God. 

    This Jesus made me clean and whole. 

    I thought my greatest problem was my skin. I thought that if the sores disappeared, the isolation ended, that I could just walk back into town then everything would be right again. This is what happened but it’s only part of the story. What I came to realise was that my greatest problem wasn’t my skin, it was my separation. Not just from people but from God. 

    When Jesus reached out and made me clean he did more than restore my body. He restored me to worship. He restored me to a relationship. He restored me to God.

    King Jesus: A Series in Mark’s Gospel
    Part 1: King Jesus: The Beginning of The Good News
    Part 2: King Jesus: The Messenger
    Part 3: King Jesus: The Love of God the Father
    Part 4: King Jesus: The Kingdom of God
    Part 5: King Jesus: The Calling of The Ordinary
    Part 6: King Jesus: Place and Purpose
    Part 7: King Jesus: The Authority Behind The Words
    Part 8: King Jesus: The Power of Jesus
    Part 9: King Jesus: The Leper
    Part 10: King Jesus: The Paralytic